Multiple-brush selector.



J. N. REYNOLDS.

AMULTIPLE BRUSH SELEGTOR.

APPLICATION FILBQ NOV. 21,1913.

1,103,623! Patented July 14,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I Joh/7 /V Reyno/lds.;

Patented July 14, 1914.

2 SH'EBTS-SHEET Z.

J. N.,REYNOLDS.

MULTIPLE BRUSH SELECTOR.

APPLIGATION FILED Nov. 21, 1913.

ff 37 2a JJ broken away. i i

UMTED sTiiTiis rfaraiir onirica.

JOHN NEWB-ERRY REYNOLDS, OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT,`SSIGNOR TO WESTRN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y'., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MULTIPLE-BRUSH SELECTOR.

lowing is a full, clear, concise,and exact description.

This invention relates to switching appavratus for use in automatic and semi-automatic telephone systems, and more larly to switches of the panel type.

fOne of trie objects of this invention is the particw -provision of an improved means for controlling the activity of the brush sets.

Another object resides in the compact and unitary assemblage of the several operating magnets of the switch.

. A further object resides in the improved means whereby the operation of the downdrive clutch nmagnet also actuates the release pawl.

A still further object resides in the provision of means whereby an attendant can readily tell on .which set of terminals of a sec-tion the brushes ot the switch rest.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the switch with parts broken away; Fig. .2 is a side` elevation of the 'operating magnet structure with parts broken away; Fig. 3 is a front view'of the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig.-4 shows a portion of the elevating bar and the means for designating the terminals `with which the brushes are inengagement; Fig. 5 is a side View of the interrupter mechanism; Fig'.A 6 is a cross" section on the line 6-G of Fig. 5; Tis i plan view of 'a pair of brush carriers,- the brushes of one being shown in 2in-,inoperative posit-ion, and the brushesoffthe other being shown in a re` leased o'r operative position; Fig. is a perspective lview, of abrush'set .with parts The switch provided by this invention is capable 'of accurately and rapidly serving a vlarge number of lines, any line being reached through one of a. plurality of multiply con- I/iected sets of brushes on a common brush shaft. The stationary terminals are arranged. in vertical 'rows in the form-of a panel, each row being divided into sections lSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 2l, 1913.

and each lsection has a set oi normally in Patented July 14, 1914. semi No. 802,280.

active brushes individual thereto.- These' rows of terminals may be inultipled horizontally-acrossthe panel to be accessible to a many individual switching devices as may be required to handle the greatest number of simultaneous calls.

ln accordance with this invention, the terminals of the desired line are reached by ca'using the set ot brushes having access to the section of stafionary terminals in which the desired line terminates to be released, and then causing said set to traverse the tei'- minals in the section until the terminals of the desired line are reached. All the brushes having access to the sectidns of a row of terminal sets are secured to a common shaft. The brushes of the several sets are normally held in their retracted position by .means of a rotatable cam member, by means .of which the brushes are separated laterally,

whereby they may pass by the stationary terminals without engagement therewith. single brush selecting or tripping device is provided for selectively operating said cams to render operative the brushes of any desired set. This brush selecting means comprisesv a rod extending through the frame, parallel to the brush support or shaft. This rol is provided with a series of inwardly projecting lugs or iingers, one for each brush set, arranged at progressively-increasing distances above the* normal positions of the operating .means for the cams. These lingers normally extend slidably to one side of the line of travel of the several cams, means being provided whereby the trip rod may be momentarily rotated to cause one of said fingers to engage its. respective cam in order to release a desired set of brushes. Thus it will beA seen that if, during. the preliminary upward movement of the brush support tlze nnic'miefnt when the operating.

member 'otfa cam lies in \.the samevertical plane as'one of said trip iingers, the trip rod be momentarily rotated, the appropriateV iingef'will engage the cam 'of the desired brush set and release the brushes, which, on account of their resiliency, will immediately spring into operative position.

The switch here disclosed isdesigned to y serve 500 lines, the terminals of which are divided into sections of 100- lines each and are duplicated on the opposite sides'of-the board. It is obvious, however, that thecapacity of the switch may be readily increased by providing a greater number of brushes or by providing more terminals in a section.

In order to avoid needless du lication of the parts, and to more clearly il ustrate the parts of the device in which this invention resides, only a portion of a single switching device is shown.

Each individual switch comprises a. brush shaft 1, slidab'ly mounted in the guide sleeves 2, carried by the frame members 3. Upon the shaft is secured a plurality of brush` carriers comprising the members 4 and 5 clamped about the shaft by means of the screws 6 and 7, or in any desired manY ner. Insulatively clamped to the members 4 and 5 by means of the screws 7 is a plurality of resilient brushes 8, 9, 10 and 11,. each provided at the outer end thereof witha shoe 12 of insulating material. By their resiliency, brushes 8 and 9 are forced t0- ward the brushes 10 and 11. Each of the brushes 84 and' 1l is provided with a block of insulating material 13, whereby the brushesv of each pair are heldin spaced relation as shown in Fig.v 7. Thus it will be seen that the brushes 8 and 9 are opposite to brushes l() and 11, and that when the brush set is released or tripped, vbrush 8 will engage the terminal 14, brushes 9 and 10 will engage the terminal 15 and brush ll-will engage the terminal 1G. Each of the brush arms has ,an extension ending in a soldering terminal 17. Extending rearwardly from the clamping member 4f is a pair of arms l8 and 19 through the outer ends of which eX- tends the pivot pin 20. Fixed to the pin 20 is a p'air of oblong plates 21, 22, between the opposite ends of which are mounted rollers 23 of insulating material. The pivot pin 20 at the lower end thereof is bent right-angularly to formthe trip member: 24, which is lprovided near the outer end thereof with a restoring roller 25. 4 Extending downwardly from the laterally extending portion of the arm 19 is a pair of integral lugs 2G, 27 arranged to limit the backward and forward movementof the'trip member 24.

The several parts just described are so arranged that when the lever 24 is in en gagemcnt with the stop member 27, the rollers 23 will engage the brushes 9 and 10, respectively, and the brushes of the set will i be forced to inoperative position as shown iin the upper haltl of Fig. 7. The controlling member will now be in such position that the pressure of the brushes on said rollers will tend to cause 'further clockwise rotation of the controlling' member, thus preventing accidental release of the brush set.

Upon slight rotation of the trip member in ananti-clockwise direction, the pressure et the brushes willV force the 'trip member to A the position shown in the lower half ot Fig.

7, when the brushes will be in a position to engage their terminals.

Rotatably mounted in the frame member 3, parallel to the shaft 1, is a trip rod 28. This rod is provided with a. plurality of rearwardly extendin pins 29 arranged at progressive increasing distances from the normal posltion of the tri members 2l carried the brushsets. hese pins are arrange in alinementand in the normal position of thev rod 28, are arranged slightly at one side of the line of travel of the several trip members 24 as sho/wn in the uper part of Fig. 7. Thus, if the brush shaft be moved upwardly until one of the trip members 24 of the brush sets occupies a position in the same horizontal plane with its respective pin 29, and the rod 28 be then quickly rotated in a clockwise direction, tbe pin 29 will engage the trip lever 21, rotatinv the pivot pin 20 and t ie parts carried thereb thus releasing the brush set. Only one of the trip levers 21 can be engagedat a time, due to the fact that the pins 29 are arranged at progressively imreasing dis tances above the normal positions ot the trip levers.

Fixed near the lower end of the rod 28 is a sleeve 30 to which is secured one end of respective stationary the spring 3l', the other end of this spring i being secured to a fixed member The sleeve 30 is also provided with a. pin 33 arranged to 'be engaged by a projection 3l on the-pivoted armature of the trip magnet 30. lt will thus be seen that the spring 31 tends to rotate the rod 28 in an anti.-clockwise direetion, as shown in Fig. 7, to its nornial position where it will be stopped by engagement of the pin 33 with the member l-t, the. outward movement of the arn'iature 35 being limited by the engagement ot its projection 37 with a fixed part of the. trame. Thus it will be seen that upon energization of the `magnet 36 and the consequent attraction of its armature extension 3l will engage the pin 33 on the rod 2S to ro tate itin :relockwise direction, and upon denergization of the magnet 343 the rod will be returned to its normal position by the spring 31. Means are` provided tor elevat ing the brushes at different speeds, and also for returning it by power to itsnoruial position. These means comprise constantly rotating drive pulleys 38, 3S', il located in alinement on one side of an elevating bar 39, and electromagnetically operated idler pulleys l0, yl0; 40 eorrespondiu;r lbf-rolo. mounted in a removable 'traine wol-li on ilu opposite side of said bar. these wml driving means are substantially aldo. the only difference being thai llw npldrlve power pulleys rotate at. di lim-ent speeds. and the down-drive pulley will rotate in llu` reverse direction thereto at any desired speed. is these several power means are substan lli.)

tially the saine, onlyone of the devices will be described in detail and the differences of the others therefrom will be hereinafter pointed lout. 'l

Opposite the power pulley 38 and located on the other side of the elevating' bar 39 but adjacent thereto, is an idler pulley 40. This idler pulley is pivotally mounted between the upwardly extending arms 4l of the bell crank lever 42. This bell crank leverin the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is formed as a stamping from' a single piece of sheet metal. Located slightly above the horizontal member of the bell crank 42 is an armature 43 of the/ clutch magnet 44. T he armature 43 and`thelbell crank lever 42 are mounted on Aa common piv'ot pin 45 carried by the frame members 75 and 76. Exe tending,- upwardly from the armature 43 is a bar 4G, the upper end of which is secured to one end of the spring 47. The other lend ol the spring' 47 is attached to a bolt f48,`which is ladjustalile'in the bell crank lever 42 by means of the nut 49. The hori-v zontal member of the bell crank 42 is held in spaced relation to the armature 43 by means of the adjusting screw threaded through the armature.

Projecting outwardly from the member 4G is a linger 5l which, in the retracted position of the armature, rests upon a projection 52 integral with the frame.l This prevents the armature from beings` removed too great a distance from the poles ot the magnet 44. AThe down-drive and up-drive drums 38 and 38, respectively, and their Cooperating clutch mechanism are the same as that just described, with the exception that the drinn, which is arbitrarily chosen as the high speed drum, will rotate substantially ten times as fast as the other.A

rlhe down-drive drum 38 will rotate in the reverse direction and may be driven at any desired speed. Thus it .will be seen that' upon the eneriri'zation of the clutch magnet 44, power will be transmitted from the armature 43 through spring 47 and bell crank lever 42 to the idler pulley 40 in order to clamp the elevating bar 39 between said idler pulley and the power y pulley 3S to-cause the shaft to be driven tor 55,.brush 56 and interrup 57 upwardly.

' The application of current .to the clutch magnet. of the high speed drive pulley is controlled indirectly by impulses created by the interruption ofthe circuit extending from ground through plate 53, brush 54, conduc- These impulses may be transmitted to the sendingy mechanism, vnot shown, .which 'may act -througn a sequence switchrelay or .in any -desired manner to shift the supply of current at the desired moment; to the clutch magnet ofthe low speed pulley, 'or to cut it "od altogether. The current to the clutch' magnet of the low speed drive mechanism will be controlled during'brush selection over a similar path, with the exception that brush 5S and interrupter '59 will be substituted for the brush 56and interrupter 57,

.and during units selection the. interruptor 6() will take the place of inteirupter 59. The several brushes shown on opposite sides of the insulating plate Gl are rigidly but insulativelysecured to the yoke 62 which is fixed to the upper end of the shaft l in any desired manner.

In practice, the operation of the switch will preferably he as follows: The low speed clutch will be operated tocause the elevation of the brush shaft for brush selection, the amount'ot' travel prior to the actuation of the trip rod 28 being measured by the pulsations produced by the -interruptor 59.

The high speed clutch will then be energized to trail the brushes of the released set over the terminals by tens, and thelow yspeed clutch will be again energized to continue the travel by units to the desired terminal. the\ two latter operations being; governed by the pulsations produced by the interrupters 57 and G0, respectively. `When the desired terminals are reached, the upward travel of the shaft will be arrested bv the denel'gization of the clutch magnet. and the shaft will be held in its elevated position by the engagement of the pawl G3 with the notches or openings 64 in the elevating bar. This pawl is mounted on a pin G5 extending through the pla-tes and 76 and is held in 'operative position by means of the` spring G5. At its lower. end it car- -ries a pin G6 adapted to be engaged by an upward extension 67 on the armature 43 upon the energization of -the down-drive clutch magnet 44. Thus when release is desired, the electromag'nct 44 will be energized, reti-acting,r the pawl and simultaneously forcing the bar 39 into operative engagement with the down-drive power drum 38. As vthe shaft l' zuiproaches its lowermost or normal position, the brush G8 will engage the segmei'it 69. This may be used to l.completo a circuit for sequence switch, relay or other device, whereby the circuit for the down-drive magnet will be interrupted. fis the shaft. approaches its normal position, the 'restoring roller 25. on the trip lever 24 will be engaged by cam member 70. This will rotate the brushcontrolling' member in a clockwise direction, whereby the brushes will be forced apart and separated from the stationary terminals, as shown in the upper 'halt' of Fig. 7.' The brush shaft" is hollow rnd has `the circuit wires 7l.inclosed therein. Branches from each of these wires are extended to the soldering terminals 17 of the corresponding brushes of the several sets on the shaft, thus Ac.fmnecting the corresponding brushes of all iso ' ated therewith will now. be described.

the sets in multiple. These wires` terminate in-the brushes 72, which engage the conducting strips 73 terminating in t'he conductors 74.-, whereby the telephone circuits may be readily extended to the brushes and t-he corresponding brushes connected in multiple.

The arrangement and mounting of the several controlling magnets and parts associ- All of the mafrnets, idler pulleys, the holding pawl and the trip rod operating member are mounted in 'a single frame work as will presently appear and may be readily re `moved from the switch frame for purposes of, repair or substitution by merely slightly loosening, a single screw. This frame consists of the plates (5, 7G, having outwardly extending-arms 77, 7 8, 79 between which are clamped the core Apieces of the magnets 3G and 44', 44; and 44, respectively. The pivot pinsffor the 'various armatures and bell` crank levers of the idler pulleys extend through these plates as clearly shown by the drawings., The plates 75 and 76 are held in spacedrelation at the lower end thereof by means of thejinturned portions S0 securedl tothe block 81 by the screws S2. Also, adjacent-the lower end thereof, the plates '75 vand- 76 have the inturned portions S3 between which is the tapering slot 8 1 for a pury ose which will presently appear. Each of t e plates 75, 76 is provided at its upper extremity with a lugvS, which received by an opening- 86 inthe lowermost trame meinber 3 of the switch.' Fixed to the rear of the frame members 75, 76, is a spring 87 which, when the clutch' magnets are in position, will engage an angle bar 88 mountedbelow the lowermost frame member 3 and will thus. prevent vibration of the clutch structure. The bars 77 are provided with upwardly and laterally extending supportmg members 89 to which is secured the memherv 90- having the lugs 91 and 92 between which is pivotally mounted the armature vby means oji-the pin 93. The clutch frame is secured at its lower end by means of a single screw 99 passing through the tapered slot 84 and into a fixed frame member 94,-. The bar 3,9 is provided at the upper end thereof with a cylindrical projection 95. This projection is retained in the lower end of the hollow shaft 1 by means of the spring catch 96, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This structure allows the har 39 to be readily rcmoved with the clutch magnet structure for repairs or other purposes.

1In order that the. attendant in searching for trouble may quickly and accurately determine with', which set ot terminals of a section the switch brushes are in engagement,

the' elevating bar 39 is provided with a series of numerals 10, Q0, 3). ctc. These numerals are placed on the har at the sides of the notches or openings (il and are positioncd ten notches apart. Fixed between the plates 75 and 7G is a block 97 provided with the upwardly and inwardly projecting indicating member 98 arranged to coperate with the nume als on the bar 39, and is so Varranged that when the notch indicated 'by any number as 10, Q0, etc., appears immediately above the indicating 'member 98, the

brushes will be in engagement with the corresponding set of terminals in the section..

The notch midway between the notches 'designated by numerals is indicated by a dash appearing on each side thereof. This represel'its-the titth terminal, that is, if the dash appearing below the notch designated as l() in Fig. 4 were positioned immediately' abo've the indicating member 98, the brushes would be on the tifteenth'terminal. From the above it will be noted that, as shown in Fig. 4, the brushes would be positioned on the thirty-first terminal of the section. Thus in searching for trouble, the attendant by j knowing which set of brushes on the shaft is tripped, and then glancing at the bar to see with which terminal of thc section the brushes are in cngagen'ient, can readily tell whether the switch has fulfilled its proper function or whether the itault in the connection resides in that switch or .some' other switch of the series used insctting up the talking circuit.

I. claim:

1. In an automatic switch, a plurality of rotatable power members located in the same plane. a bar adjacent to said power members. idler pulleys for causing engagement of said bar with said power members respectively, and electromagnets for operating said idler pulleys, said pulleys and magnets being mounted in av readily removable unitary structure.

2. ln a switch, a bar, means for moving said bar in one direction, moans 'for holding said bar against reverse mm'ement. a rotatable power member for moving said bar in a4 reverse direction, an elcctromaguct. and means whereby the actuation. ot said magnet will cause engagement of said bar with said power member and will simultaneously cause said holding moans to release said bar.

3. ln a switch. a bar, means for moving said har longitudil-ially in one direction, a pawl for preventing reverse movement of said bar, a rotatable j'mlley for moving said bar in the reverse direction. an electromagnet, and means whereby the actuation of said magnet will cause engagtmxent ot said bar with said pulley and will cause said pawl to be 'retracted 4. ln a switch, aforush shaft, an elevating bar therefor, a. catch for fixing said bar to said shaft, a plurality of power mexnbcrs for moving said bar on one sido thereof, a corresponding plu ality of cooperating idler pulleys on the other side of said bar, operating magnets for said idler pulleys, a frame for supporting said pulleys and magnets, and means whereby said frame and elevating bar may be readily removed from said switch in a unitary structure.

5. In an ,automatic switch,a brush shaft, opposed pairs of brushes upon said shaft, a controlling devicev between the innermost brushes of said pairs, said device being rotatable in a plane at right angles to said shaft` and means for engaging said controlling device to release said brushes during the initial movement of said shaft.

6. VIn an automatic switch, a pair of opposed brushes, a controlling device for said brushes rotatable in the plane therewith, said controlling device being so arranged that in one position it will engage the adjacent.

plane thereof, a-brush tripping device, 'and means for momentarily rotating said trip-l Aping device during the preliminary move-A ment of said support to release said setsof brushes.

8. In a switch, stationary contacts, a

Apair of brushesfor engagement therewith, a rotatable pin between said brushes extending at right angles to the plane thereof, a brush cont-rolling device o'n said pin, and means for rotating said device to govern the en gagement of said brushes with said contacts.

9. In a switch, al row of terminal sets, a set.of brushes, a support therefor, means for moving said support to cause said brushes to traverse said row, a4 devicerotatablein a plane transverse to the line of travel of said brushes carried b said support, and means for rotating saidy device to determine the operative or inoperative condition of said brushes.

10. In a switch, rows of terminals, a pair of brushes, a supporttherefor, means for moving said support to cause said brushes to traverse said terminals, a device carried by said support between said brushes and rotatable in a plane transverse to the line of travel thereof, and means -for rotating said device 'to determine the operative or inoperat-ive condition of said brushes.

11. In a switch, rows of stationary'terminals, a pair of normally retracted brushes, a

support therefor, means for moving said support to cause said brushes to traverse said rows, a device carried by said support between said brushes and rotatable in a plane transverse to the line of travel thereof, a rod,

' a projection thereon, and means for rotating said rod, whereby said projection will engage said device to release said brushes.

12. In a switch, a row of terminal sets, a support, brushes carried thereby, a bar secured to said support, power means for engaging said bar to move said brushes over said terminal sets, and means associated with said bar for indicating with which terminal set said brushes are in engagement.

,13. In a switch, a row of terminal sets, a

support, brushes carried thereby, a bar secured to said support, power means ,for engagingsaid bar to move sald brushes over .said terminal sets, said bar being provided with a'series of numerals for indicating with which terminal set said brushes are inV engagement. l

In wit-ness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of November A. D.,

JOI-IN NEIVBERRY REYNOLDS.

lVitnesses;

LAURA Domus, ALICE .HAzLmn 

